What’s Behind One of America’s Favorite Sauvignon Blanc Wines?

Among my favorite questions for winemakers is what misconceptions they come across when talking to consumers. It’s always interesting to hear what information needs to be better transmitted to wine lovers.

“The idea that Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is all the same. That’s the one that hurts,” says Kim Crawford winemaker Dave Edmonds.

He’s right. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is a darling among wine lovers, but its success comes with the misconception that the wines all taste the same, with no diversity or complexity. This, in turn, begets another misconception–that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc just comes from a spigot and not, in fact, from the hand of talented, passionate, individual winemakers.

For many, Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc is exemplified by Kim Crawford, the most popular bottling in the United States. It’s been consistently one of the most imported wines into the U.S. for more than a decade and is the clear market leader in an already popular category, currently selling 1.7 million cases annually here in the United States (according to our sister publication Impact Databank).

To achieve such high volume, consistent and quality wines, Edmonds relies on blending grapes from all over the Marlborough region to create a singular wine. But unwinding his thought process gives some insight into the complex tapestry of Marlborough regions. It says a lot about New Zealand wines and their strengths.

The Winemaker

Edmonds has a relaxed, humble way about him. Originally from New Zealand, both of his parents were into wine. “Wine was always in the house. I was one of those children that got the ‘half glass of wine with water,’” he explains. “I never felt like wine was scary.”

One of his jobs as a child was to put his parents’ wine deliveries into the cellar under the house. As a teenager, he realized he had a winemaking cousin at Villa Maria and Esk Valley. He knew he wanted to get into the wine industry and went on to attend Lincoln University in Christchurch, studying horticultural science

Kim Crawford (the brand) was founded by husband-and-wife team Kim (the person) and Erica Crawford in 1996. It started as a virtual brand, using purchased grapes and a rented winemaking space. The brand was sold to Vincor in 2003, which in turn was acquired by Constellation in 2006. After nine years staying at Kim Crawford post-acquisition, the Crawfords departed and have since started their own New Zealand label, Loveblock.

Dave Edmonds started making wine for Constellation in 2002. Now in his 23rd year on the winemaking team, he’s been part of a brand that grew from 50,000 cases annually to that 1.7 million number.

One of Edmonds’ keys for consistent quality is using vineyards from all over Marlborough. (Courtesy of Kim Crawford Wines)

The Category

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is an exciting category because the wines do what great wine should do: express specific terroirs and vintage variability year after year. Plus, they often do it for $25 or less per bottle. My hope is to get wine lovers to move beyond the impression of the category’s uniformity and enjoy the distinctions and differences these wines provide.

To help with the task, Edmonds brought the six components that comprise the final blend of Kim Crawford’s main Sauvignon Blanc bottling to Napa to talk about blending. Edmonds admits he thought he understood Sauvignon Blanc when he started. But his first year making wine in Marlborough was a revelation.

“I remember vividly walking along the catwalk [in the winery]. Passionfruit aromas were coming out of one tank, pineapple aromas coming out of another tank, pink grapefruit notes out of another and maybe some cat pee [notes],” he says. “I didn’t shy away from any of that. And I think it was at that moment where I fell in love with Sauvignon Blanc.”

As Edmonds readies his samples, I test out my IPA hypothesis on him. The theory is that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc lovers are the IPA beer drinkers of wine. They are people that know the flavor profile they want and they have brand loyalty. But they also know if their favorite IPA isn’t available, they can order another IPA and get something they will also like.

Edmonds says he’s made the comparison in his head before (and thankfully, he likes IPAs, so he was not offended). He feels it’s important to meet wine drinkers where they are, though, and offer them something tasty that overdelivers on price. I concur.

The Marlborough Terroir

Edmonds explains that a key for consistent quality is to have vineyards all over Marlborough, giving flexibility in blending to produce a house style from year to year.

“People keep coming back because they know what they’re going to get,” he says. “Maybe they haven’t yet discovered that wine is something you can explore.”

The Marlborough region covers about 62,000 acres, making a single moniker terribly inadequate. There are three main subregions: the Wairau Valley, Southern Valleys and Awatere. The Wairau Valley and Southern Valleys are dominated by the Inland Kaikōura mountain range, with the Wairau following the flat floodplain of the Wairau River. The Southern Valleys are situated on slopes with heavier soils than the gravely riverbeds of the Wairau. Meanwhile, Awatere is on the opposite side of the mountain range, closer to the Pacific Ocean.

Edmonds breaks Marlborough down further into six subregions. He separates the Wairau Valley into upper (warmer) and lower (cooler) sections. He also considers the Rapaura, a section of the Wairau Valley where the Awatere and Waiharau Rivers meet the coast, a separate area. There’s also Rarangi, a region that’s close to wetlands and has very sandy soils. (Local vintners recognize these areas, but they aren’t official wine regions, so you won’t find them on wine labels.)

Edmonds lines up the samples, one from each sub-region, with Rarangi first, followed by Southern Valleys, Awatere, Upper Wairau, Rapaura and Lower Wairau. He explains the lineup progression as, “Elegant through increasing levels of fruit expression until they get, let’s say, obnoxious.”

Each of the Marlborough sub-regions Edmonds works with, contributes something different to the final wine. (Courtesy of Kim Crawford Wines)

All six were delicious and distinctive, though I admit to having a soft spot for the wine from the Awatere. Awatere Sauvignon Blanc has always stood out for me in blind tastings after a vintner pointed out to me years ago its telltale toasted herb and salty, savory note. Edmonds nods. “That’s what I tell people, when they can pick up that minerality, the cut tomato plant.”

The Rarangi sample is very fragrant and pretty, with lemon blossom and yuzu notes. The Lower Wairau, on the “obnoxious” end of the spectrum, clearly stood out for its intensity and long, impressive finish. My mouth waters even now as I recollect its burst of ruby grapefruit flavors. Southern Valleys wines had more floral aromatics and lovely linear structure. Upper Wairau shows peach and tangerine, moving into mango notes, while Rapaura is where I find tropical notes of pineapple and lemongrass.

Tasting through, Edmonds explains that because of the hole in the ozone layer above New Zealand, stronger UV rays from the sun force the grapes to protect themselves. Their skins thicken, adding potential phenolic intensity to wines because the grapes continue to mature while the region’s cool air keeps their acidity fresh.

Winds are another factor. Since the island is so narrow, all vineyards lie within 80 miles of the coastline. Kiwis talk about the winds as if they were a blustery relative full of personality coming to visit (e.g. ‘The southerlies are coming in fast on Friday’). Marlborough’s blustery relatives mean dry conditions, further intensifying flavors.

The Blend

“It’s like coming down the stairs on Christmas and opening up all your presents and seeing what you’ve got,” says Edmonds about blending days and tasting the final components before he starts mixing them together. Blending is how Kim Crawford wine is made, and it’s where Edmonds shines. After all, making a small amount of quality wine can be easier than making a larger amount of quality wine.

Once the final blend is decided upon, Edmonds and his team take the components and start assembling 2 million liters (or about 222,000 cases) at a time.

While the individual samples were all distinct in their way, the final blend of the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2024 (88, $16) emphasizes their individual characteristics while elevating the whole over the sum of its parts. While I know I’m picking out elements that represent all the different subregions, the chorus of flavors and aromas creates a seamless, single voice.

I’ve always been impressed with quality wines made at volume. The Kim Crawford wines are no exception, especially when you know how they are made. There’s no spigot here, just quality grapes and skilled winemaking.